Weighing mechanism.



I. PAUPA & G. F. HOCHRlEM.

WEIGHING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6. 1914.

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A 2 Z W e m. F 1 1 on J. PAUPA & G. F. HOCHRIEM.

WEIGHING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED AUG.6,19'14'.

1,143,224. I Patented June 15, 1915.

3 SHEETS SHEET 2.

J. PAUPA & G. F. HOCHRlEMl WEIGHING MECHANISM.

APPLICAHONAFILED AUG.6. 1914.

Patented June 15, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Ffi l'zvein/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH'PAUP'A AND GUSTAV r. Ho'oHRIEM, or cHIo'Aso, ILLINOIS.

WEIGHING MECHANISM.

'flpplica'tion filed August 6 To all whom it may concern Be it'lmown that we, Josnrn PAUPA' and GUSTAV Fl Hoorr'ninir, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook'and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and' useful Improvements in Weighing Mechanisms, of which the followmg is a specification.

The essential object of this invention is to providecertain improvements adapted for use inconnection with scales or Weighing apparatus of thatclass inwhich a graduated beam carries weights which are adjusted by hand in order to ascertain the weight of the person or thing upon the platform, and which beam remains normally lockeduntil a coin is inserted in a place provided for the purpose. Upon the insertion of the coin, the beam isrel'eased' andtlie scale'x becomes operative, but when the' person who has deposited the coin steps off the platform, the beam is again automatically locked and remains locked until released bythe insertion of another coin.

"The invention embodies certain improve ments over the structures described in the two patents granted to us on November 5, 1912, No. 1,04.s,352, and No. 1,043,353.

' In the apparatus shown in said two prior patents, as'wel'l as in many other weighingmechanisms of the'same class,'the accuracy of the weighing operation is interfered with by the fact that permaiientfconnections are provided between the platf'orm and the devices which look the weighing beam. The various parts which engage and guidethe beam-locking means areadapted to produce friction and thus render the scale inaccurate. The improveiiients forming the subject'- matter of this application are intended to avoid this disadvantage and the beam-locking means embodies a vertical rod which is disconnected from the platform and which, together with its connectionsflremain's normally inoperative. When the person who has'been weighed, how'ever, steps off the platform, means are provided which cause I the beam-locking dog'tobe actuated and the wei hing beam to be locked.

In the drawings, Figure I is a perspective view of a scale equipped Withthe herein describeddihprdveinent; ig. 2 shows in its upper half a front elevation and in its lower half shows a side elevation", partly in section, the movabl arts" bein ready "for -ireighing or 'for adjusting w enever the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1915.

1914. Seria1No.855,364.

coin-controlled slide is actuated to release the devices which lock the weighing beam; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts in the positions as respectively assumed bythem while the person standing upon the platform is being weighed; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the platform and the/platform frame looking from the right of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the head of the scale showing the weighing beam and some of the connections therefor, the 'casingbeing broken away so as to expose the coin-handling mechanism; Fig. 6 is a section on" the line 6 6, Fig. 9, showing some oftheconnections which extend from the platform to the weighing beam and which translate the depression of the platform into movement of the beam; Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views at right angles to .each other of the devices which look the weighing beam in place, which locking means are adapted to be released by the proper manipulations of a coin; and Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9, Fig. 6.

The scale is supported upon a base 1 which rests upon thefioor and supports the platform 2 upon which the erson to be weighed stands. Upright mem ers 3 extend to the casing 4 and the graduated beams 5 and 6 are retained upon or Within the casing 4. These beams are normally locked and if a person steps upon the platform 2 his weight cannot be obtained, but upon depositing a coin in the slot 7 and depressing the lever 8, a coin-controlled slide 9 is released, thus permitting the beams 5 and 6 to rock, for the slide 9 releases the dog which normally locks the beams in place.

Beneath the platform 2 is a catch 10 which is pivoted to the platform 2. Said platform is hinged at ll to the platform frame 12 one"end,of the platform is yieldingly supported by the helicalspring or springs 13 interposed between platform 2 and the lugs 12 which are secured to the frame 12. The catch 10ris provided with a projection 14'which is adapted to engage a cooperating projection 15 carried at oneend of the latfbrm frame 12. Thecatch 10 is, furt ermore, provided with an ear or pro'ection 16 which cooperates with a stud 1 carried upon the rocking lever 18, which lever is pivoted at 19 upon'the platform frame 12.

A vertical rod 20" asses through one of y the ho1low post's 3 an is 9.' At its lower end said rod '20 adaptedto be engaged and raised by one end of the pivoted lever 18. At its upper end therod 20 is adapted to engage and raise a catch 23, which catch is pivoted at 24' to the casing 21. The catch 23 is provided with a toe 24 which engages a corresponding toe 25 car ried upon the slide 9, thus locking the slide in the positiondepicted in Fig. 3, and holding same against the contracting force of the helical spring 26 which tends to pull the slide normally toward the left, Figs. 2 and 3.

A lever 27 pivoted at 28 to the casing 21 is normally pulled toward the left by the helical spring 29. At its upper end said lever 28 is provided with a curved cam face 30 which is adaptedto engage a stud 31 carried upon a lever 32, which lever 32 is pivoted at 33 to the casing member 21. The coin-con-'- trolled slide 9 carries a stud 34 which is adapted to engage the lever 27 whenever the coin-controlled slide 9 is forced toward the right. At 35 an arm 36 is pivoted to the lever 32 and the spring 37 yieldingly holds;

the members 32 and 36 (which form a jointed lever) in a predetermined relative position, the free end 38 of the member 36 being adapted to actuate the dog 39, which dog acts as the lock which locks or releases the weighing beams 5 and 6.

The beams 5 and 6 are secured together by a strap 40 and the yoke 41, which said yoke is adapted to be fulcrumed at 42 in the customary manner, not shown in detail in the drawings. Only' a detail of the yoke 41 is shown, being depicted in dotted lines in Fig. 5.v 'At 43 the member 41 is provided with a knife edge over which the loop like end 44 of the connecting rod 45 fits. Said member 45 extends downwardly through one of the hollow columns 3 shown in Fig. 1, and at its lower end is connected to the weighing lever 46. member 46 is pivotally connected in an obvious manner to the frame 12 and the platform 2, and when a person steps upon the platform, his. weight causes the right end,

pression of the left end, Fig. 5, of the beam,-

and when the weights 48 and 49 are moved toward the right, Fig. 5, the beams are balanced and the weight of the erson upon the platform 2 can be ascertaine The locking dog 39 is L- shaped at its upper-end (Fig. 7) and slides within straps or When said locking dog:

guides 50 and 51. 39is in uppermost position, the finger 52 which extends at right angles to the main length of the locking dog 39 engages the unjcoin is deposited in the Said by means of the loop 44,

fthe weighing operation.

der side of one part of the weighing beam and thus locks the beam against movement,

in this manner preventing the use of the scale for weighing purposes until the dog 39 isreleased. The locking dog 39, as previously set forth, is adapted to be released upon proper manipulation of a coin, and

the coin-handling-mechanism (which is the which notch is in registration with a coin slot 7 in the exteriorof the casing 4. The arm 60 is integral with the arm 55. When a slot 7, it passes by gravity through recess .58. The thumbpiece 8 is then forced downwardly, then -released and permitted to return to initial position, being thus returned by means of the spring 63. When a coin is inserted, it falls to a point where it is intermediate the rotatable thumb-piece 8 and the slide 9, thus serving temporarily to-lock said members together and permitting the rotary movement I of the thumb-piece 8 to be translated into a left-to-right movement of the slide 9.

Whenever a man steps upon the 'platform 2, it is depressed, rocking upon its hinged connection or pivot 11-. Thereupon the catch 10 moves to a point where the projection 14 is beneath the projection 15 upon the plat form-frame 12 and where the ear 16isbe j neath the stud 17 upon the lever 18,-which lever remains clear of the upright rod 2O. J

Upon the insertionof acoin and -..the movement of the thumb piece ,8, forced from left to right, Fig. 2,. andthe slideis adapted to be locked in the position of Fig. 3 by means of the coiiperatmg toes 24 and 25. This left-to-right movement of the slide 9 causes the lever 27 to rotate in a clockwise direction and carries its end. 30 out of engagementjwiththe stud 31. 'This releases the members-32 and 36 an permits the locking dog 39 to drop to aposition in which the beams I may move the weights 48 and 49 upon the graduated beams and perform tract the coin-contr ed slide 9 and return 130 I the slide .9 is J 5 and 6 'will'be released. Thereupon the person who is standing upon the platform 2 has been weighed same to the position of Fig. 2. As the slide 9 thus returns toward the left, the rocking lever 27 is released and its spring 29 carries the same toward the position of Fig. 2. The end 30 will ride under the stud 31 and this will in turn rock the jointed lever 32-36 upon the pivot 33 thus elevating the sliding dog 39 to the position of Fig. 7 and locking the beams.

After the rod 20 has been raised suificiently to release the catch 23, the projection 14 which is carried upon the catch 10 will engage the projection at one end-of the frame 12. This engagement of the members 14 and 15 will cause the lower end of the pivoted catch 10 to swing toward the right, whereupon the car 16 will ride out of engagement withthe stud 17, as shown in Fig. 2, the right end of the lever 18. will drop, the rod 20 will be released, and the entire apparatus will be in position for a new weighing operation. If the platform is trod upon before a coin is introduced into the apparatus, the catch 23 will be raised but the jointed lever 32 and 36 will be unaffected alldfWlll remain unaffected until such time as the slide 9 is moved toward the right, and

the slide 9 in turn cannot be moved until the coin-actuated mechanism comes into play. The vertical rod 20 is out of operative en gagement With the lever 18 except at the instant when the load is removed from the platform. After a person has beenweighed and steps off the platform, the catch 10 moves upwardly, momentarily hooks its projections 16 on the stud 17, and remains in such position until freed by the projection 14. This tilts the lever 18 on its pivots, elevates its end into engagement with the lower end of the vertical rod 20 which in turn raises and releases the catch 23 and permits the spring 26 to operate the slide 9 which controls the lockingv dog for the beams.

The rod 20 which connects the platform to that mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3, passes through one of the columns 3, preferably that column at the left side of Fig. 1. The member which connects to the beams 5 and 6, passes'through the middle column and the right hand column conducts the coins from the casing 4 to a suitable receptacle adjacent the platform 2.

" We claim as our invention:

1. A weighing machine comprising a frame having a vertical extension, a platform movably mounted in said .frame, a weighing beam in the vertical extension of said frame above saidplatform, a vertical actuating rod entirely disconnected from all moving parts of the machine, locking means for the weighing beam, means for releasing said locking means, means forretaining sald locking means in releasing position, a lever adapted to engage and move said rod to rethe platform lease said retaining means, a catch pivoted to the platform and constructed and arranged to momentarily engage and move said lever as the platform raises upon removal of its load, and means for elevating said platform when its load is removed.

2. A weighing machine comprising a frame having a vertical extension, a platform immovably mounted in said frame, a weighing beam in the vertical extension of said frame above said platform, connections between the weighing beam and platform, a vertical actuating rod entirely disconnected from all moving parts of the machine, locking means for said weighing beam, coincontrolled releasing means for said locking means, means for retaining said locking means in releasing position, a lever adapted to engage and move said rod to free said retaining means, a catch pivoted to the platform and constructed and arranged to momentarily engage and move said lever as the platform raises upon removal of its load, and spring means for elevating said plat form when its load is removed.

3. A weighing machine comprising a frame having a vertical extension, a platform movably mounted in said frame, a weighing beam in the vertical extension of said frame above said platform, connections between the weighing beam and platform, a vertical actuating rod entirely disconnected from all moving parts of the machine, locking mechanism for the weighing am, coin-controlled means for releasing said locking mechanism, means for retaining said locking mechanism in releasing position, a lever adapted to engage and operate said rod to release said retaining means, a catch pivotally depending from the platform and constructed and arranged to momentarily engage and move said lever as the platform rises upon removal of its load, and means for elevating said platform when its load is removed.

4. A weighing machine comprising a frame having a vertical extension, a platform movably mounted in said frame, spring means for pressing said platform upwardly, a Weighing beam in the vertical extension of said frame above said platform, connections between the weighing beam and platform, a vertical actuating rod entirely disconnected from all moving parts of the machine, locking mechanism for the weighing beam, a coin-controlled slide for releasing said locking means, a dog for retaining said locking means inreleasing position, a lever adapted to engage and move said rod to release said retaining dog, and a catch pivoted to theplatform and constructed and arranged to momentarily engage and move said lever as the platform raises upon removal of its load.

5. A weighing machine comprising a &

7 frame having a vertical extension, a platform movably mounted in said frame, spring means for pressing said platform upwardly, a weighing beam in the vertical extension of said frame above said platform, connections between the weighing beam and platform, a vertical actuating rod entirely disconnected from all moving parts of the machine, locking mechanism for the weighing beam, spring means for normally main-. taining and returning said locking means to its locked position, a coin-controlled slide for releasing said locking means, a dog for retaining said'locking means in releasing position, a lever adapted to engage, and move said rod to release said retaining dog, and a catch pivoted to the platform and constructed and arranged to momentarily engage and move said lever as the platform raises upon removal of its load.

6. In a weighing apparatus, a platform frame, a platform mounted in said platform frame, means for normally pressing said platform upwardly, said platform being adapted to be depressed by suitable Weight placed thereon, a Weighing beam, operative connections between the beam and platform, means for locking said beam against movement, means for releasing said locking means and retaining it in releasing position, and means actuated by upwardmovement of the platform from a depressed position for freeing said retaining means and thereby permitting the locking of said frame, a platform mounted in said platform frame, means for pressing said platform upwardly, a weighing beam, operative connections between said weighing beam and platform, means for locking said Weighing beam against movement, means for vreleasing-said locking means and retaining it in releasing position, a vertical rod entirely disconnected from the moving parts of the machine and adapted to be moved by the raising of the platform as the load is removed therefrom to release the retaining means and permit the locking-of the beam, a lever adapted to engage and move said rod and a catch de pending from the platform and adapted to momentarily engage and move said lever as the platform raises upon removal'of its load. In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH PAUPA. I GUSTAV F. HOCHRIEM. Witnesses:

RoB'r. KLoTz, CARL MILLER. 

